Chapter : 148

How did it go? Who are you going to support?

While I was organizing things in the room for a moment after Baron Pierre left, Magician Agpiel came in.

Hm? You knew?

Knew, my ass. Isn’t it obvious? Both of them were all fired up. Probably…. the one who came first was the firstborn, Sir Andrea Bardi. Am I right?

You are exactly right.

Magician Agpiel burst into laughter. He seemed pleased that things moved exactly as he had expected.

Of course, watching that, I clicked my tongue. As expected, this old, seasoned Great Sage was no ordinary man.

The firstborn must not have been able to offer much. If his proposal had been good, you would not have met Baron Pierre again.

Well, as someone with a lot, he was reluctant to let go. Baron Pierre, on the other hand, gave so much that I was the one returning it.

Heh heh. That is the ordinary appearance of nobles who have never had anything taken from them in their entire lives. In contrast, Baron Pierre did not grow up without hardship, did he? There is definitely that difference.

That was a similar opinion to mine.

Someone who has lived enjoying everything their whole life usually has a strong tendency to not want to share what is theirs.

I was a little worried you might choose the firstborn, but I am glad you did not.

Of course. If I help Sir Andrea Bardi, would he even be grateful to me?

Hahaha. Right. He might even secretly resent you, thinking you took something from him.

Those who have much often calculate differently. Of course, Baron Pierre might also change that way later on, but still.

There is definitely that feeling.

At Magician Agpiel’s words, I nodded.

Feelings are different when you enter the bathroom and when you leave it.

Still, I felt that was a problem that could be handled well. If it benefited both sides, would they not cooperate endlessly? That was what this kind of business relationship was.

Of course, it would be nice to receive loyalty like between a lord and a vassal, but I also did not think it was bad to build trust through exchanging benefits like this.

Hm, then how do you plan to step in and move directly?

At Magician Agpiel’s low question, I shook my head and let out a small chuckle.

No way. At times like this, staying still is the best, Magician Agpiel.

???

Sometimes, staying still was the best way to support someone. I intended to show that. Heh heh heh.

—

After that day, I did not show any particular movement.

Like an ordinary noble who had been invited, I stayed comfortably in the private quarters receiving hospitality, and I diligently went around to events the House of Viscount Bardi called me to.

I did not particularly favor either side.

Thank you for coming, Margrave of Bellua.

What do you mean. Aren’t you my old friend, Baron Pierre? By the way, the food here is truly delicious. Give the chef a special reward. I will pay the amount instead.

BAAA! That is right, my lorrrd. How about we bring their chef to our domain instead. Mehahaha.

I attended the banquet hosted by Baron Pierre with the voice of that somewhat airheaded goat beastman Bishop Marco mixed in like this.

Oh, thank you so much for coming, Your Excellency the faithful Margrave!

The honor is mine for the invitation, Sir Andrea Bardi. I heard this hunt is a bit special…?

UHAHAHA. That is right. It is an Apennine Peninsula hunt that has been passed down since the time of the Ancient Empire!

Do you release monsters and hunt them? Is it not dangerous?

We use special magical measures to restrain their behavior. Ah, of course, it restrains their activity range, but their aggressiveness and strength remain as they are.

Interesting! May I see it for myself?

Of course. Even the mages under my command will consider it an honor to meet the Great Sage Agpiel. UHAHAH.

And like this, together with Magician Agpiel whose magical curiosity overflowed, I also attended Sir Andrea Bardi’s hunt.

Because of that, Sir Andrea Bardi thought I had chosen him, or at least expressed that I would remain an observer….

Hm, is the prey this one?

Yes. It is a giant earth-rumbling boar. Its hide is like armor, so it cannot be pierced with ordinary attacks. Our skilled beaters will….

Ah, I see.

-AAAAAAAGH!

Your Excellency. Haha…. I understand your competitiveness, but if you wait just a moment…. Huh?

-SHWWWIIIIIIK!

-CRUNCH!

-EEEEEEEEEEK!

-THUD

??????

Hm, it really is formidable like you said. To think the spear I threw could not pierce it. It did not go in at once.

H, h, how…?

Why are you surprised at that? Now then, is there no other monster?

……

……

I had no intention of supporting or helping Sir Andrea Bardi. I was simply attending both sides appropriately and trying to win favor with the nobles under them.

And sure enough.

Did you see it? Margrave of Bellua treated everyone well, without distinguishing between high and low, truly faithful!

Hahaha. You are late to the news. That is not what matters. My goodness! They call him the Performer of Miracles, the Great Knight, and indeed, he easily caught enormous monsters.

That happened? He also drank unbelievably well. Truly, he is a hearty and famous knight.

As I accepted their invitations, the nobles who attended began praising me, and that reputation was soaring.

They had all fallen completely for the performance I showed.

Thanks to that, I used that favorability to receive invitations from the city nobles, and now I was stretching into powerful families within the Free City Alliance, gathering information here and there.

Of course, that did not mean my actions only made Baron Pierre feel slighted.

Rather, if you stepped out openly in matters like this, it would only provoke resentment.

Even if indirectly, I was supporting Baron Pierre with full force.

Have all the goods been unloaded?

Yes, my lord. We brought all the first initial shipment produced at the City of Markel factory.

Good. And the sugar?

We also brought all the stockpiled sugar here. But is it really fine to hand it over at this price?

It is fine. Everything has been arranged. Do not worry. If you take losses later because of this, I will compensate you. Viscount Avignon.

No. How could I? Even the benefits I have received so far are enough.

No. I cannot cause losses to your merchant guild. Have Chamberlain Hamil submit the related details later. I will tell him in advance.

A massive volume offensive.

I supplied Baron Pierre exclusively with cheap manufactured goods brought from my domain at prices even cheaper than they already were.

No matter how much they bragged about being nobles and having deep history, their roots were merchants.

In fact, the organization chart of the Bardi family was closer to a merchant confederation than a typical noble family. As such, they preferred a leader who could bring enormous profit.

Contact Baron Pierre. Tell him my first support has arrived.

Therefore, I intended to exert enormous influence through this.

A business that made tremendous profit, at least three times, five times, just by buying and selling.

The influence Baron Pierre would gain over the House of Viscount Bardi by obtaining the right to control that would grow exponentially.

—

The situation became strange.

At first, they thought I was choosing neutrality because I visited both his half-brother and him evenly.

So he also just laughed and enjoyed himself, letting his guard down.

But what was this!

Can you confirm how much volume has been released?

A, at least it is close to twice the volume gathered during the last Holy Empire tour, Sir Andrea.

Hah? Twice? I heard the unit price was cut down to a quarter of a quarter.

At Sir Andrea Bardi’s words, sweat poured down the face of the trusted aide reporting to him.

Even if the lord had let his guard down, it was the aide’s role to confirm and check such things.

But by the time they grasped the situation, an enormous quantity had already been released, too large to be contained.

This is driving me insane. What about the old men? If they run merchant tours at that unit price, they will make at least three or four times profit. Those greedy old bastards will not sit still.

As it is, the elders of the neutral faction are visiting the mansion where Baron Pierre is staying every day.

Yes, that is normal. Those hyena-like bastards.

Sir Andrea Bardi frowned and ground his teeth.

In truth, the situation was absurd.

No matter what, he was his father’s child, but he was a half-blood bastard, was he not? And yet he was competing with me, the direct bloodline who inherited the tradition, for the headship….

How much face would be lost if others heard it?

But it was reality.

And the ones who created this miserable reality were those council-of-elders old men who only cared about money.

If I become the head, I will cut them all out. Those rotten old men….

Biting his lip hard, Sir Andrea Bardi thought that.

But he could not reveal his inner thoughts outwardly.

A ruler must always stand above others. He could not show weakness.

Phew, then I cannot ignore my half-brother anymore. Is that not so?

No, Sir Andrea. How could that half-breed dare covet our House of Viscount Bardi. Soon everyone will know who the true master is—

That is enough. I know even without you dressing it up. However…. if I avert my eyes from reality, it will only create a bigger problem.

A dam breaks because of a single small crack.

If he averted his eyes like an idiot, it would spread into a massive flood and drown him. Sir Andrea Bardi felt his competitive desire flare for the first time in a while.

Yes, it has to be this much for my pride not to be hurt. Only then can I say he dared compete with me for the headship.

He had not faced major twists and turns in his life, but that did not mean he had no hardships at all.

He was someone who had been through his share, though a danger pressing this close to his throat was a first.

How is the Emperor these days?

When you say the Emperor…?

There were two Emperors on the continent.

The Emperor of the Holy Empire, and the Emperor of the Eastern Empire across the sea.

So the aide asked carefully. Whoever it was, if they could connect, it would be a great strength to his lord.

I mean the Holy Empire Emperor. Has he not contacted me recently?

Ah…! He has. However, his reputation is a bit bad, so we will need to pay attention to that.

The aide carefully expressed his opinion. Even if both would help, it was the aide’s role to propose what would help more.

How about the Holy See?

Well. Isn’t the Margrave of Bellua extremely popular with the Holy See?

But isn’t he from Cardinal Adriano’s faction? If we receive support from the opposing faction—

At the aide’s words, Sir Andrea Bardi gave a small chuckle.

My friend. The Margrave of Bellua, called the Performer of Miracles, is loved regardless of faction. Even if we join hands with the opposing faction, we would spend too much money. It is not a good option.

Ah…. That is true.

Yes. So send word to the Holy Empire Emperor. Tell him we should join hands and seize the north of the Apennine Peninsula.

Sir Andrea Bardi gave the order with a grumble.

It felt like grabbing a dirty, rotten rope, but he was still an Emperor of an Empire. It was surely better than having nothing.

Ah! And.

Then Sir Andrea Bardi remembered something and stopped the aide who was turning away.

Let us do a job.

Pardon?

An elder on Baron Pierre’s side. Investigate one of the lower ones among them.

Even if he had taken a punch, he could not just sit still.

Repaying that was exactly Sir Andrea Bardi’s temperament.

A mud fight…. I should try it, shouldn’t I? If you steal my side, I will ruin your side. My little brother.

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